At the end of a championship boxing match, both fighters wind up in Community General. The former champion, Mercury "The Heat" Jones, isn't quite ready to cede victory, and plans to push his planned retirement back for a rematch to secure his winning streak. However, with news of a heart condition that could kill him if he fights any more, the current champ Tommy Brackett refuses.
It becomes a more serious matter when Tommy is found smothered to death in his room, with Mercury as the prime suspect. Jack, not wanting to see his hero locked up, takes it upon himself to find out who it was that really threw in Tommy's towel.
"Stranding Eight Count" displays symptoms of the following tropes:
- All for Nothing: Kieran killed Tommy in order to insure Mercury Jones would go through with his retirement as planned, and he could have his own shot at the title belt. As it happens, Wayne had already booked a fight with him beforehand, meaning all he had to do was wait.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: The murderer got in and out of the hospital unnoticed by wearing a rented doctor's jacket and blending in.
- Screw the Money, I Have Rules!: Tommy rips up Wayne's check to bribe him into losing the match.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When Kieran rips the doctor's jacket he used as a disguise to kill Tommy, he knows the jig is up and makes a run for it.
- Throwing the Fight: Wayne tried to give Tommy $100,000 to lose the match. Since he starts the episode holding the championship belt, you can see how that went.
- Vorpal Pillow: Tommy wins his first and last championship belt being smothered to death.
